Lighting Ideas for Your Closet

Who says your closet has to be a drab catchall storage area that stays hidden away? Turn on the light to a new space where your clothing is the star — and you are the VIP shopper.

Relocate (Your Closet)

If your home wasn't blessed with an ample built-in closet, then relocate the space. Look for a natural light source in your home — perhaps it's an unused second bedroom — and build your closet around it. Make the window the centerpiece of your space, and you can really see how you look in that little black dress. Design by LDa Architecture & Interiors.

Glam Up With a Centerpiece

Add a classy focal point to your closet if you have some extra square footage. Designer Erica Gelman of House of Design opted for a black glass chandelier. "It's centered in the middle of the room right above the chaise longue, not only giving the dressing area task lighting, but it also allows the space to feel glamorous," she says. Extra lighting comes from natural light through the balcony doors and a table lamp at the makeup vanity, as well.

Mordan Dinning Room

Designer's Notes

The spiral chandelier echoes the round shape of the dining table in this dining room. Decorative elements like the glass sculptures and the round plant pots also contain round shapes. Repetition is a way to create a unified space.

Designer's Notes

A 200-bottle wine cooler is an awesome way to display your collection and have it close at hand for serving.

Blending Lighting Types

According to Randall Whitehead, a lighting designer in San Francisco, and author of Residential Lighting: A Practical Guide., the most effective lighting for the kitchen involves four layers blended together: task, ambient, accent and decorative lighting. The end result: a warm and inviting environment that works with your other design elements to create a practical workspace and lively entertainment area. Design by Joel Snayd

• Country Kitchen by Joel Snayd

Dreamy Kitchen Lighting

Often the difference between a utilitarian kitchen and one that's the heart of the home is well-planned lighting. Top experts share what's gorgeous and trendy in luxury kitchen lighting.

Most frequently seen over an island workspace, pendant lights are as striking as they are practical. The pair here is "clean, classic and timeless. The brushed nickel finish and clean design of these striking pendants add a 'wow' factor, combining the best of form and function," says Kim Mager, Marketing Director at Hinkley Lighting.

"Adequate wattage of bulbs for pendants, and the number of pendants used, have a direct effect on the quality of the light on the island for food preparation. Take care when placing pendants [above] an island to avoid them being too close to those seated at the island or too close to the cooktop, if one is installed on an island," suggests Susan Serra, CKD, CAPS of The Kitchen Designer and President of Bornholm Kitchen. Photo courtesy of Hinkley Lighting.